What Are The Current Events In Chapter 1 And 2 Study Guide The Constitution

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Chapters 1 and 2 Study Guide: The Constitution Key Terms: 1. Political Gridlock: Definition: When there is difficulty passing legislation or resolving issues due to opposing factions with differing interests. Current Event: Currently, President Obama, a Democrat, is experiencing significant political gridlock due to the Republican majority in Congress. The divisions between the factions prevent the passage of legislation. In fact, there was a government shutdown since there were many disputes over the Affordable Care Act. 2. Republic/Indirect Democracy: Definition: A form of democracy in which representatives are elected by the people to represent them and their interests in government matters. Current Event: In 2016, the California Senate …show more content…

New Jersey Plan: Definition: A plan proposed by William Paterson of New Jersey at the Constitutional Convention that advocated equal state representation in the legislative body of government. Current Event: The New Jersey Plan is present today in the Senate, since each state has equal representation in the Senate which was the central idea of the New Jersey Plan. 9. The Colonial Mind: Definition: The colonists despised the king of England, as they believed he abused his power and denied them natural rights because of their lack of representation in Parliament. Their issues with the rule of the English were primary motivators for many of the laws outlined in the Constitution. Current Event: The colonial mindset affected the creation of the Constitution, and the laws that ensured that natural rights would always be protected are still in effect today and heavily protected. Theft is protected against, ensuring the natural right to property, and freedoms are guarded with the Constitution. 10. Articles of Confederation: Definition: The initial document that was created after the Revolutionary War that created a weak central government and did not truly unify the colonies. It was replaced by the …show more content…

Current Event: The Federalist Papers were an effort to support the Constitution, which is the central document of our government today. The papers are now used to understand the Constitution and examine the aims of the framers. 12. Necessary and Proper Clause (Elastic Clause): Definition: According to the Constitution, Congress has the ability to create any laws necessary for the execution of the enumerate powers, or powers specifically outlined in the Constitution. Current Event: Conscription is not an enumerated power for the legislative branch in the Constitution, but in the Vietnam War, it was justified through the elastic clause as Congress declared it necessary and proper to execute the enumerated powers. 13. 3/5ths Compromise: Definition: For representation in the House of Representatives, since slaves were considered property by slave states, but those same states wanted more representation in Congress, a compromise was reached where each slave would be counted as 3/5 of a

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